Why Does It Hurt When I Poop? 13 Causes - Greatist

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GreatistWhy Does My Butt Hurt When I Poop? 13 Possible Causes and Tips

Medically reviewed by Cynthia Taylor Chavoustie, MPAS, PA-C — Written by Alysa Hullett — Updated on October 25, 2024

Causes
When to call a doctor
Easing poop pain

Wondering “why does my butt hurt when I poop?” Painful poops might be due to constipation, hemorrhoids, or other issues. Discover common causes and when to consult a doctor for relief and better bowel health.

Sometimes, pooping’s no prob — other times sittin’ on the toilet can feel like torture.

So, why exactly does it hurt to poop?

Painful poop culprits can include:

constipation
diarrhea
hemorrhoids
anal fissures
eczema or psoriasis
anal abscess
STIs
HPV
endometriosis
IBD or IBS
food intolerance or sensitivities
proctitis or anusitis
anal or rectal cancer

If things aren’t going so smoothly when you try to take a doody, don’t stress just yet: The pain may only be temporary. Diet, day-to-day activities, and your emotions can all play a role in your bowel movements.

If your turds hurt on an ongoing basis, something more serious may be happening. With some detective work (and a call with your doctor), you can pinpoint the cause, treat the concern, and finally check No. 2 off your to-do list.

why does it hurt when I poop — Eftoefto/Getty Images

Common causes of painful poops

1. Constipation

Anyone who can’t make themselves poop knows the pain of no-show BMs.

Medically speaking, constipation is what happens when you poop less than three times a week. And when you do finally manage, it’s usually a little more work than usual. It can happen because of dehydration, your diet, or various medical conditions.

Common symptoms include:

hard, dry, or chunky stool
pain in your anus or gut while you poop
feeling like you still need to go after you just pooped
bloating or cramping in your back or lower gut
feeling a blockage in your intestines

To get the bada boom back in your bowels:

Drink lots of water (at least 64 ounces a day).
Cut back on caffeine and alcohol.
Eat plenty of fiber. (Fresh veggies, anyone?)
Eat probiotic-rich foods (think pickles, kefir, or kimchi).
Reduce constipation-causing foods like meat and dairy.
Get enough exercise (at least 30 minutes a day).
When you gotta go, go! Don’t wait til your stool hardens.
Under your doctor’s guidance, try laxatives as a last resort.

2. Diarrhea

Diarrhea is like constipation’s equally evil opposite.

When your bowel movements get thin and watery, ding, ding, ding: You have diarrhea. It doesn’t always make pooping hurt, but it can — especially when you wipe a lot, which can make things a little tender and sore.

It can happen due to some expired food, certain medical conditions, or unseemly bacteria. Symptoms include:

nausea
stomach pain or cramps
rectal pain or burning when pooping
bloating
losing excess fluid
blood in stool
needing to poop often
fever
large stool volume

Diarrhea treatment usually calls for rehydration — Here are some additional tips:

If you’re dehydrated you’re missing electrolytes, so stock up on sports drinks.
Wash your hands thoroughly (sing “Happy Birthday” twice!) before and after you eat.
Wash, cook, and store your food safely. If it seems a little suss, do yourself a favor and skip it.
Don’t drink nonpotable water.
Ask your doc about taking antibiotics before visiting places with unfamiliar food.
In severe cases, an intravenous (IV) line or antibiotics might be needed from your doc.

3. Hemorrhoids

People often associate hemorrhoids with older folks or pregnant peeps, but really, anyone can experience piles.

Hemorrhoids happen when your veins in your anus or rectum swell up. You might not notice internal hemorrhoids, but external ones can cause a lot of pain and other probs.

They can happen due to diet, a lack of exercise, or hereditary factors. Symptoms include:

pain while pooping
anal itching or pain
lumps near your anus
anal leakage
blood on your TP

Treatments and preventive measures include:

taking 10-minute daily warm baths
using over-the-counter topical hemorrhoid creams
eating more fiber
keeping your anus clean
using softer TP
applying a cold compress
taking ibuprofen or naproxen
in serious cases, surgery

4. Anal fissures

Anal fissures are pretty much as unpleasant as they sound. They’re basically tiny cuts that happen when your anus skin cracks (and often bleeds). They can happen due to stretching of the lining of your anus from bowel movements, penetration, or other causes.

Symptoms include:

a torn area near your anus
skin outgrowth around the tear
stinging or intense pain when pooping
blood in poop or on TP
anal itchiness
burning sensation around anus

The good news: They usually aren’t too serious and go away on their own in about a month.

In the meantime, treatments include:

taking stool softeners
staying hydrated
eating enough fiber
taking sits baths
applying hydrocortisone cream
using lidocaine or other pain-relief ointments

5. Eczema or psoriasis

Some chronic skin conditions, including eczema and psoriasis, can wreak havoc on the area around your anus. Symptoms include:

rash around anus
painful pooping
inflamed anal area
warts near your anus

Your eczema or psoriasis treatment plan:

According to a 2014 research review, treating anal eczema is particularly challenging. If you have a skin condition around your anal area, you should always chat with your doctor first.

Other treatment with a doc’s help might include:

steroid cream
antibiotics
phototherapy

6. Anal abscess

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, an anal abscess happens when one of your many glands in your anus becomes clogged. When it happens, you might experience:

anal pain or discomfort
fatigue
fever
night sweats
constipation or painful pooping
anal inflammation
painful lump near your anus
lower abdomen pain
pus drainage near anus

Talk with your doctor about the right treatment for you:

Anal abscesses usually don’t go away on their own, so they’ll typically require surgical drainage or other medical intervention.

7. Certain STIs

STIs like chlamydia and syphilis can be transmitted via anal sex without a barrier method and cause bacterial infections. Symptoms include:

pain when pooping
rectal swelling
burning sensation when peeing
genital discharge
pain during sex

Treatments and prevention tips include:

antibiotics like azithromycin or doxycycline
penicillin injections (for severe syphilis)
sexual abstinence during treatment (to protect others)
using a barrier method during sexual activity (including oral or anal)
getting tested for STIs regularly

Psst, if you’re struggling to talk about your STI status with your partner, here’s how to have those tough convos.

8. HPV

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, human papillomavirus (HPV) is a viral infection that can cause warts to grow near your anus. Symptoms include:

pain while pooping
raw or stinging sensation around anus
visible warts without any pain or discomfort

Don’t ignore this ish and call a doc:

Get it checked out, even if you’re *pretty sure* it’s not HPV. If untreated, HPV can cause anal and cervical cancer. While it can never be fully cured, your doctor can use laser or cryotherapy to remove warts.

Preventive measures for HPV include:

getting the HPV vaccine if you’re under 45, according to the FDA
using barrier protection (like condoms) when you have sex
getting regular Pap smears and STI screenings

9. Endometriosis

Endometriosis happens when uterine lining (aka your endometrium) grows outside your uterus. The pesky lining can then attach to your colon and cause pain, irritation or scar tissue formation.

According to the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, other common symptoms of endometriosis include:

painful periods
lower ab or back pain before period
heavy periods
pain during or after sex
infertility

Treatments include:

pain meds like ibuprofen
hormone therapy
birth control (like Depo-Provera injections)
laser surgery to remove affected tissue
surgical removal of uterus, cervix or ovaries

10. IBD or IBS

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) includes conditions that involve digestive tract inflammation like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

Common symptoms of ulcerative colitis include:

bloody diarrhea
stomach pain or discomfort
unexplained weight loss

Peeps with Crohn’s disease can have different symptoms, like abdominal pain targeting their lower right side or diarrhea without blood.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) has similar side effects, but is a different condition that targets your large intestine (including your colon). Symptoms of IBS can include:

abdominal pain or cramping
diarrhea, constipation, or alternating episodes of the two
hard stool
bloating and gas
fatigue
food intolerances trigger these symptoms

If you think you have a form of IBD or IBS, talk with your doctor:

Common treatments to help manage IBD symptoms include:

taking prednisone to suppress your immune system and reduce inflammation
long-term corticosteroid treatment
medications called immunomodulatory that reduce your immune system’s reaction in your gut

Treatments to help manage IBS symptoms include:

taking probiotics
limiting caffeine and alcohol
taking medications to help control muscle spasms, constipation, diarrhea, bloating, or pain
avoiding spicy or deep-fried foods that trigger IBS symptoms
eating a diet with less dairy and sugars

11. Food intolerance or sensitivities

Anyone with a food intolerance or sensitivity has to laugh when nay-sayers try to poo-poo them. Much more than a fad, food intolerances or sensitivities can cause serious concerns, including diarrhea or pain when pooping.

Common concerns include lactose intolerance and gluten sensitivity or intolerance. If you’re unsure whether you’re sensitive to certain foods, talk with your doctor or a nutritionist.

To test for food intolerance or sensitivity, your doctor might recommend:

an elimination diet to pinpoint the source
allergy testing
stopping or limiting the triggering food from your diet

12. Proctitis or anusitis

According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, proctitis refers to rectal inflammation. Anusitis refers to anal inflammation. Though these conditions have symptoms in common with hemorrhoids, there’s no physical lump. Instead, symptoms include:

pain or burning when pooping
anal itchiness or pain
rectal bleeding
unusual discharge
pelvic pressure or pain

Treatment for proctitis or anusitis depends on the cause:

If you think you might have either condition, talk with your doctor. Common causes of anusitis or proctitis include:

ulcerative colitis
STIs
certain meds
colon infections
a diet with a lot of citrus, coffee, soda, alcohol, or spices

13. Anal or rectal cancer

Before you start panic-tweeting about having cancer, hear us out: It’s 👏 very 👏 unlikely 👏 that anal or rectal cancer is the cause of your painful poops.

Since it’s a small possibility, though, keep in mind that cancer symptoms can include:

sudden, abnormal changes in poop shape or color
small, skinny stool
blood in poop or on TP
new or strange lumps near anus that hurt with applied pressure
anal itchiness
unusual anal discharge
frequent constipation or diarrhea
feeling unusually exhausted
having a lot of gas or bloating
losing lots of weight
constant pain or cramps in your abdomen

While a rare cause of painful pooping, if you think you might have anal or rectal cancer, call your doctor:

Cancer treatments include:

chemotherapy injections or pills
surgery to remove tumors and affected tissues
radiation
regorafenib, according to the National Cancer Institute

Early treatment can halt cancer from transmitting to other areas of your body and prevent severe complications.

When it’s time to call the doc

Some concerns like hemorrhoids or constipation often go away on their own. And not to be a party pooper on home remedies, but you gotta call the doc if things don’t clear up. Always seek expert help if you experience:

pain or bleeding lasting for more than a week
fever or unusual fatigue
unusual bleeding or discharge
pain or discomfort after sex
intense ab or back pain and cramps
newly formed lumps by your anus

A few pro tips for smooth pooping

To support smooth and pain-free poops next time you hop on the porcelain throne, try the following tips:

Drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration (and don’t forget those electrolytes).
Eat a balanced diet with plenty of fiber (fruit, veggies, and oats FTW).
Get plenty of exercise to keep those bowels moving and grooving (at least 30 minutes a day).

To stop diarrhea or ease painful poops in a pinch, doctors sometimes recommend the BRAT diet. Until your symptoms subside, consider sticking to Bananas, Rice, Applesauce and Toast (BRAT) — all of which are easy on your tummy.

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